What makes a good user story and several ways to split them in order to fit in sprints and make sense.

1. Ways to split
user stories
By Nikos Raptis
nikolaos.raptis83@gmail.com

2. The INVEST model
Good user stories follow Bill Wake’s INVEST model
➢ Of order of user story delivery
➢ Of internal and external dependencies
➢ Flexible scope
➢ None specific language
➢ Explain the intention, not the implementation
➢ Value is clear to everyone
➢ Persona matches Benefit & Goal will deliver the benefit
➢ Avoid technical / role specific language
➢ Clear and concise explanation
➢ Avoid technical / role specific language
➢ Easily fit into a Sprint
➢ Can be automated
➢ Avoid external testing / long test suites
Independent
Negotiable
Valuable
Estimable
Small
Testable

3. Patterns for splitting
● Workflow Steps
● Business Rule Variations
● Major Effort
● Simple / Complex
● Variations in Data
● Data Entry Methods
● Defer Performance
● Operation (e.g CRUD)
● Break out a spike
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

4. Workflow Steps
As a content manager, I can publish a news
story to the corporate website.
…I can publish a news story directly to the corporate website.
…I can publish a news story with editor review.
…I can publish a news story with legal review.
…I can view a news story on a staging site.
…I can publish a news story from the staging site to production.
Initial User Story
Potential User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

5. Business Rule Variations
As a user, I can search for flights with flexible dates.
…as “n days between x and y.”
…as “a weekend in December.”
…as “± n days of x and y.”
Initial User Story
Potential derived User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

6. Major Effort
As a user, I can pay for my flight with VISA, MasterCard,
Diners Club, or American Express.
…I can pay with one credit card type (of VISA, MC, DC, AMEX).
…I can pay with all four credit card types (VISA, MC, DC, AMEX)
(given one card type already implemented).
Initial User Story
Potential derived User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

7. Simple/Complex
As a user, I can search for flights between two destinations.
…specifying a max number of stops.
…including nearby airports.
…using flexible dates.
Initial User Story
Potential User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

8. Variations in Data
As a content manager, I can create news stories.
…in English.
…in Japanese.
…in Arabic.
Initial User Story
Potential User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

9. Defer Performance
As a user, I can search for flights between two destinations.
…(slow—just get it done, show a “searching” animation).
…(in under 5 seconds).
Initial User Story
Potential User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

10. Operations (e.g. CRUD)
As a user, I can manage my account.
…I can sign up for an account.
…I can edit my account settings.
…I can cancel my account.
Initial User Story
Potential User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

11. Break Out a Spike
As a user, I can pay by credit card.
...Investigate credit card processing.
...Implement credit card processing.
Initial User Story
Potential User Stories
Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/patterns-for-splitting-user-stories

12. Tips
● Resist the temptation to split an overly large
user story by architectural layers.
● Satisfy the INVEST model
● If PO doesn't know how to do it, SM should help
him

13. Source: Richard Lawrence, http://agileforall.com/new-story-splitting-resource